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Photo : REDPIXEL.PL ( Shutterstock ) There are so many sm art ways to use a vacuum besides just running it over your carpet, but there are also some things you really shouldn’t be sucking up . You can avoid damaging your expensive machine by learning what can’t be vacuumed . Here are the things to always avoid vacuuming up: Glass Element Electronics , which manufactures vacuum cleaners, recommends never vacuuming up glass . The sharp pieces can do internal damage, especially if your machine has bags or hoses. If you’re worried about stray shards of broken glass that could damage you , try some upgraded sweeping hacks, like this one , to make sure you get it all contained. Large quantities of hair A little hair in your vacuum is fine, and likely unavoidable, but there’s a reason you see stylists sweeping after their shifts: Too much hair is not good for a vacuum. Per Element, long hair can tangle around your brush and lead to clogs, so you should get rid of the majority of it...

No one likes cleaning a toilet. First, there’s the dust that clings to the porcelain with surprising tenacity, especially if the porcelain happens to be damp. (I think it should be illegal for bathrooms to get dusty. It’s just not right.) But the bigger problem is the toilet brush. It’s not the scrubbing part—that’s easy—but the way the brush drips on the way back to its stand, and the resulting puddle that pools therein. I take care of the dust issue by running a Swiffer cloth over the outside of the toilet before applying any spray-on cleaning products, so that the dust doesn’t have a chance to cling. But a solution to the dripping issue has always evaded me. Flinging excess water off the brush is a no-go, as that would mean flinging toilet water around the bathroom; taking a hair dryer to it also doesn’t work (for similar reasons). Luckily, TikTok user neat.caroline has an elegant solution: Set the brush under the toilet seat and let it drip dry over the bowl. Screenshot : Clai...

Photo : wavebreakmedia ( Shutterstock ) Yes, y our broom is for cleaning, but even things that are for cleaning also need to be cleaned themselves. You shouldn’t be pushing a dirty tool around on the floor expecting it not to impede your quest to stop the floor from being dirty. Clean brooms are just more effective, so it’s worth it to take some time to spruce yours up—especially if it’s been a while (or ever) since you’ve done so. Here’s what you need to do. Remove the big junk first You can see the big debris that gets stuck to your broom easily, like hair and lint, and that’s the first schmutz that needs to go when you start cleaning. Maids by Trade , a home cleaning company, recommends taking your broom outside and smacking it against a tree or other solid object just hard enough to remove dust and loose debris attached to the bristles. Soak the broom In some instances, a good smacking is enough , but make it a habit to do a deep cleaning periodically, too— about once a mo...

Photo : Claire Lower I have been working on rekindling the romance with my Instant Pot. I’ve had her for at least half a decade, and right now we’re working on perfecting a yogurt recipe. It’s going well, but the resurgence of activity has forced me to come to terms with just how grody this thing can get , particularly the little ridge between the outside of the appliance and the liner. As you can see from the above photo, it gets pretty grimy in there. Spills and splatters and specks of food get trapped, as does dust. To make matters worse, the spot is fairly awkward to clean, as it’s sunk down, with a few little tabs from the appliance that hang over it, making it hard to access. There are, however, three handy tools you can use to clean this dark recess of a beloved applicance . The cheapest option: A fork with a paper towel wrapped around it I’m sure you have a fork, and I’m fairly certain you have a paper towel. Though some assembly is required, you can make a nifty little c...